Sensitive switch mechanism



Aug. 26, 1952 w. DIETRICH SENSITIVE SWITCH MECHANISM original Filed Aug'. 2, 1.949

Patented ug. 26,11952 '7 .l

SENSITIVE sWiToHuEoHANIsn/i WalterL. Dietrich, Hartford, Conn., assignor to A'The Arrow-Hart & Hageman `Electric Company, HartfordyConnt, a corporationof Connecticut` Original `'application August 2., 1949, Serial No. 108,185. Divided and this application Decemd ber 5,1950,l Serial No. 199,221

l l 1li-Claims. (01.: 20c-Jim;

"This invention relates to an electric switch supporting bracket 60 whosetransverse partba mechanism of the type which vrequires only a very is riveted "to the plate Vlli. The strut 62s is en# lsmall amount of movement of the operating gaged byan adjustable plunger arrangement member to cause switch actuation. Such switches which recip-rocates when moved by the lever 62 areftherefore sensitive enough to be used in-situ- D so asv to control the operation of the `movab1e ations where only'a minimum degree of movement contact.` The movable contact comprises a. thin. of the lactuating device is available to cause switch flexible leaf spring member 65 which is stamped operation. p l from sheet metal with an H-shapedv opening Only one example of' a use to which this' intherein as illustratedin` Fig. `2. Flexible apervehtion is particularly suited is rotary-cam timetured armsta,` and65b, formed by the stamping controlled switches for washing machines and the out of the movable contact member,` areiin the like as is disclosed in my copendingapplication plane of the Contact member as stamped. 'Howi- Serial No. `108,185 patented July 15, 1952, No. ever they are later stressed orbowed upwardly by 2,603,725 of which this application is a division. the insertion betweenV them of `a compression However, the inventionis not limited to such member-'66 of substantially U-shapey and :stamped use, its structure and principles being adaptable, from thin ilexible sheet metal 'with' slotslsss'm With Variations Within' the SCOIJB 0f the invention. its armsto receive the ends of thearms 55a; 65h. to many other uses and situations. The compression A"member 56 "is mounted on nthe n One Object of this invention Ais to provide an plunger as hereinafter more" fully described. improved form of sensitive switch mechanism i0 Movement'of the arms 65a and `(i513 through which is durable` and reliable in operation over the' plane of the contact member 65 from one long periods ofusel side to the other thereof causes snap action movee Another object is to providejfor adjustment of ment of the ends of the contact member es also 'the Switch rGolltlcis flOm Outside the housing 0f v with a snap-action in a manner nowwelljunderthai whole switch Ydevice or from the opposite side 2i stood by those familiar with the art. Ati-thomas Offi-hdplateol Support 01.1 Which the Sensitive of the contact member are contact buttons B1 Switch meChaliiSmiS'IilOlinid l l y to engage and disengage iixed contact buttons Other bieiitand advantages of the l'lVe'IliOn 68 mounted on xed contact members B9'. uThe will become apparentes 'it iS `liifs'tlibf `Il C011- iixed contact membersv have rivet extensonsiSQa neetion with the accompanying drawing. l passing l through nthe insulating vmate le and V"Inthe drawing: f l through a metalterminal plate 10 on the loutside t Fie. 1 is a side elevation view of an electric `of the insulating plate.` Between the nxed oonswitch embodying the invention, adapted t0' be tact member 69 and the inside surface of the ln- `Oillied by a rotary Cam aCllFiOl'-` l y sulating plate I6 is located one leg of a. rigid stop Fie. 2 isa section View along line 2-2 of Fig- 35 member 1| stamped from sheet metal into sublfofthe inventionv stantiallyvJ-shape. By peening over the ends y Fig. 3 iS ai fragmentary detail VeW 0f the Stlllof the rivet portion 69a, the stop member 11, xed ture illustratedin Fig. 2 viewed. from the opposite Contact 5g `and terminal member 1g rel-@husa seside from that of Fig. 2 cured to the plate 16. Thelportion lls of thestop Fig4 is an enlarged detail SectiOIl View taken 40 member 'H overlies the end of the movablecon `alone; line 4.-!! oflFg. 2. tact to limit the switch openngfor disengaging Fie. 5 is an enlarged perspective detail `View movement of the movable contact member itt4 v0f the SWtCh Spring COXIIDI'BSSiOn ele'llllli-` p each-end, it being understood that similiar fixed v Referring to the drawing, the Switch dnecha- Contact structure and stop member-sare provided nism may be mounted on any suitable support at caen end of the movable oontactes well illus such as a` sheet insulation plate I6. The plate` mated in Figs 1 and L Y may, if desired, form part of alarger device havf It is desirable to bejable to adjustror acing a rotary shaft or spindle 22 carrying an inSllcuracy' the position of the `movable switch conlation cam disc 30 adapted to engage a 1'0111 tact and thus its action from the outsideof the 64 on an axle E3 transversely mountedbetween 50 switch housing. For this purpose the plunger parallel arms 62a, 62o of` a lever designatedgendevice is constructed in the following manner. erally by numeral 62. A support or bearing member 12 is -mounted in y The free ends of the lever arms 62a, 62e may be the insulating plate It. Th1s bearing member joined by an integral strut 62s. Their opposite has `a llange 12a abutting the outside surface of ends are pivotally mounted on a U-shaped metal the plate I6 and a similar 1nter1or flange 12o sleeve.

which is stamped down upon the interior surface of the plate I6 to secure the bearing member permanently in place. 'Ihe bearing member has a. bore which is reduced near its outer end to form a shoulder against which presses one end of a compression spring 13. The other end of such spring 13 presses against: a shoulder on a sleeve member 14 whose outwardly facing end 14a. is of reduced diameter and slides in the smaller part of the bore in the bearing member 12. The inner end of the sleeve member 14 slides within the larger portion of the bore in the member 12.

Upon the larger or inner end 1lb of the sleeve member is secured the compression member 66. The compression member is secured by upsetting an extending neck 1lb of the sleeve end 1lb onto -the inside surface of the transverse portion 661? of the compression member.

The adjustment of the position of the movable contact is accomplished by manipulating a screw .bolt15 which slides within the sleeve 14 and has ,its inner end extending inwardly of the switch housing to engage the lever 62. A square-headed nut 16 is threaded upon the end of the screw bolt 1-5- toy vfix the adjustment and to determine the inward'movement orl location of the screw bolt into or relatively to. the sleeve member. The f abutment of the nut 16 against the sleeve 14 thus limits the movement of the screw bolt 15 into the To `maintain the adjustment, parallel .lugs 62g are struck down from the lever strut 62s lin...po'sition to embrace the sides of the nut. A slot is provided in the head ofthe bolt. This slot i'sy-V available from the outside of the plate IB by use of a'small screw driver inserted in the sleeve :11g-f Byturning the bolt a relatively fine adjustment can be obtained of the action of the switch. `"I`;liis' is desirable in many uses of the switch, only onezxample of which is when the controlling cam isv rotated by clockwork. In such case it is desirle .that the switch operate precisely at the time set. Thus, a ne adjustment is needed.

l IMany vmodiiications within the scope of my invention will occur to those skilled in the art.

Therefore I do not limit it to the specific embodi- 'Aments `illustrated and described.

f v What is claimed is:`

g 1'. In a sensitive switch, a support, a fixed con- -tact member, a movable contact member having a stressed portion, an actuating member, a mem- .member Iand mounted on said adjustable member .maintaining the adjustment of the latter.

-2.4 Ina-sensitive switch, a support, a xed co-nftact member, al movable contact member having Aastressed portion, an actuating member, a member slidable in said support for moving said movable; contact lmember with a snap action to engage and disengage said fixed Contact member, .an adjustable connection between said actuating vmemb'er'and said slidable member comprising an f adjustablermember movable in said slidable member and acted upon by said actuating member, vand `a'mefmber engageable with said slidable member and mounted on said adjustable member y'rn'aintainin'g the adjustment of the latter. said y actuating member moving said movable contact r4 into one position, and biasing means acting on s-aid slidable member to move the movable contact into the other position.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the contact members and actuating means are located on one side of the support, and said adjustable member extends through the support for adjustment from the opposite side of said support.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 having means on said actuating member to prevent rotation of the member which is on said adjustable member.

5. A device as claimed in claim 3 wherein the contact member and actuating means are located on one side ofa support, and said adjustable member extends through the support for adjustment from the opposite side of said support.

6. vIn a sensitive switch, a fixed contact member, a movable contact member having a stressed portion, an actuating member for moving said movable contact member with a snap action to engage and disengage said xed contact member, an adjustable connection between said actuating member and said mov-able contact comprising a member engaging with said actuating member andV a' member threaded upon and adjustable upon said engaging member for Varying and determining the position .of the actuating member and movable contact member relative to one another, and a sleeve member biased to cause operation of the movable contact member into one position, said adjustable member sliding within said sleeve member. v A m 1. A device as Aclaimed 'in claim 6 mountedon one side of support, said adjustable member being available for adjustment from the other side of the support. A A

Y 8. Infa sensitive switch comprising an insulating support, an actuating member on one side of the support, fixed contacts V mountedon said side of the support, a bridging contact memberY on said side of the support engageable withsaid iixed contacts, means cooperating with said actuating member and with said bridging contact member to causeit to move overcente'r'fand to operate with a snap action, said means comprisinga nut, a sleeve member movableby said nut, an adjusting bolt slidable in said sleeve Ymember and engaged with said nut, amounting member mounted inv said insulating support',and means to bias said sleeve'.- said bolt. being adjustable from the opposite side of said support from said actuating memben y v9. .In a sensitive switch, a support.' aA fixed contact memben. amovable contact member having a stressed' portion, a member sldablein said support for moving said' movable Contact member with a snap action to engage and disengage said iixed contactmember, an actuatingv member, an

adjustable connection between said slidable member and. said actuating member comprising a screw bolt passing through said slidable member, one end of said bolt being accessible for adjusting the boltv from one side of said support,` the other end of said bolt being on the other side of said support and being moved by said actuating member.

Y10. A sensitive switch as claimed in claim 9 Vi'rr'i'cluding a, spring means biasing said slidable Vmember and bolt toward said actuating member.

11'. In a sensitive switch, a support, a fixed contact member, a movable contact member having a stressed portion, a bearing member mounted in said support, a sleeve member slidable in said bearing member for moving said movable contact member with a snap vaction to engage and disengage said fixed contact member, an actuating member, an adjustable connectionibetween said slidable member and said actuating member comprising a screw bolt passing through said slidable member, one end of said bolt being accessible for adjusting the bolt from one side' of said support, the other end of said bolt being on the other side of said support and being moved by said actuating member.

12. A sensitive switch as claimed in claim 11 including spring means within said bearing member biasing said sleeve member and bolt toward said actuating member. I

13. In a sensitive switch, a support,. a fixed contact member, a member slidable in said support, a movable contact member carried by said slidable member and having a stressedportion whose condition may be varied to cause engagement and disengagement of the xed and movable contact members with a snap action, anactuating member, an adjustable connectionbetween said slidable member and said actuating member comprising a screw bolt passing through said slidable member, one end of said bolt being accessible for adjusting the bolt from one side of said support, the other end of said boltbeing on the other side support and being movedby said actuating member.

14. A sensitive switch as claimed in claim 13 wherein the slidable member is a sleeve, and spring means biasing said sleeve toward said actuating member. i

15. In a sensitive switch, a support,''a xed contact member, a movable contact member having a stressed portion. a member slidable in said support for moving said movable contact member with a snap action to engage and `disengage said xed contact member, an actuating member, an adjustable connection between said. slidable member and said actuating member comprising an adjustment member passing through said slidable member, one end of said a'ustment member being accessible for adjusting it from one side of said support, the other end of said adjustment member being on the other side of Vsaid support and being moved by said actuating member, and means between said adjustment member and slidable member to adjust them in different relative positions. i

16. In a sensitive switch, a support, a fixed contact member, a movable contact member having a stressed portion, a bearing member mounted in said support, a sleeve member slidable in said bearing member for moving said movable contact member with a snap action to engage and disengage said xed contact member, an actuating member, an adjustable connection between said slidable member and said actuating member comprising an adjustment member passing through said slidable member, one end of said adjustment member being accessible for adjusting it from one side of said support, the other end of said adjustment member being on the other side of said support and being moved by said actuating member, and means between said adjustment member and slidable member to adjust them in different relative positions, and spring means within said bearing member Vbiasing said sleeve member and adjustment member toward said actuating member.

WALTER L. DIETRICH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,795,240 Ulmer Mar. 3, 1931 2,391,238 Horman Dec. 18, 1945 2,525,791 Good Oct. 17, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 546,135 Great Britain June 29, 1942 

